Monthly Archives: September 2013

Agave ‘Shira ito no Ohi’

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Denise

Or, more specifically, Agave filifera ssp. schidigera ‘Shira ito no Ohi’ (Queen of White Thread Century Plant). No one seems to know the origin of the variegated form of this wee agave with the big name, whose queenly title was … Continue reading →

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this summer’s dahlias

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Denise

I moved my one dahlia, the deep burgundy ‘Chat Noir,’ to my community garden plot this summer. Performance was…meh. By August the plant was finished. The soil at the CG still needs work if it’s to grow anything but zinnias … Continue reading →

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the hardy tapioca

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Denise

A garden can be a stay-at-home option to ecotourism, where the plants pack their seedy suitcases and travel to us. (If growing any exotic, non-native plant sets your teeth on edge, those categories may be blurring faster than we’d like: … Continue reading →

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cage lights

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Denise

Cage lights, suspended for hanging candles, flowers. I love messing around with them. last night early this morning About the same size and shape as a cage light, this orange shade was found a while back at Building Resources and … Continue reading →

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warm thoughts on formal gardens

Posted on September 7, 2013 by Denise

Have I mentioned how hot it’s been lately? It’s the kind of heat that gives a boho plant nut a deeper appreciation of the cool, austere lines of a formal garden. A garden built not on the scaffolding of flowers … Continue reading →

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September and its discontents

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Denise

Every September I’m startled by the heat this month brings. A heat that, if you’re not careful, can wick away inspiration. But then that’s what photos like this are for. Image found here At least two more months to go … Continue reading →

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Yucca ‘Blue Boy’

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Denise

I’ve brought a couple home under the name Yucca aloifolia ‘Purpurea,’ but I’ve recently been seeing it tagged as Yucca desmetiana ‘Blue Boy,’ as it was here at Cornerstone Sonoma, in the Transcendence garden designed by Delmar McComb and Peter … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, garden travel, garden visit, Plant Portraits, succulents | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

counting on agaves

Posted on September 2, 2013 by Denise

No, I haven’t done a recent tally. But, boy, do they ever count when the days heat up and stay hot. Nothing looks as composed under the sun as an agave. Hard to say if their numbers are increasing, since … Continue reading →

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scenes from Long Island

Posted on September 1, 2013 by Denise

It looks like the heat is fairly evenly distributed across the U.S. this Labor Day weekend. In between dipping into a steaming hot garden to cut back agastache, anthemis and senecio, I’m catching up on work and going through summer … Continue reading →

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